A cosmetic that effectively moisturises for up to 72 hours. Is that possible?

If we asked what makes a good moisturising cosmetic, we suspect most answers would focus on its long-term action. No wonder - effective skincare products should have a positive effect on the condition of the skin not only while they are on it, but also after they have been washed off. From a manufacturer's point of view, it is not so easy to create a cosmetic whose benefits are visible and noticeable even on a day when we forget to use it. Fortunately there are active ingredients that handle this difficult task perfectly, and one of them is pentavitin.

Pentavitin - what is it?

The formal name of this chemical compound is saccharide isomerate - so on a cosmetic's INCI ingredient list you will find it as Saccharide Isomerate. Colloquially, however, it has become known as pentavitin, a name derived from the registered trade name of the raw material - PENTAVITIN®.

What is pentavitin?

It is a well-known and valued active ingredient of plant origin with a strong and long-lasting moisturising and skin-conditioning effect. It has been used in cosmetics for over 40 years, since 1982! Although for a long time pentavitin was used mainly in facial care products, its popularity has been growing for several years now on the wave of a trend for using the same tried and tested, effective active ingredients in body and hair care as well.

The name saccharide isomerate points to the origin and production process of this substance. This clear, slightly sticky liquid of a yellowish or lightly amber colour is a derivative of a sugar (a saccharide) called dextrose - which is nothing other than a form of glucose, obtained for this particular purpose from corn kernels. (If the use of natural sugars in cosmetic products comes as a surprise to you, we warmly encourage you to read one of our earlier posts devoted entirely to this subject - Sugars in cosmetics - properties and effects :))

Did you know: in the cosmetics industry pentavitin is considered one of the moisturising ingredients with the lowest carbon footprint! It is also a biodegradable raw material, certified by the international organisations ECOCERT, COSMOS and NATRUE.

The properties and effects of pentavitin

The manufacturer of pentavitin calls it a "smart moisturizer", compares the way it works to a "moisture-magnet" and stresses that it is unique. Where do such bold marketing claims come from? It has to be said that the care properties of saccharide isomerate are fairly impressive:

- it restores the proper functioning of the skin's natural protective barrier,

- it gives the skin immediate hydration and maintains it for up to 72 hours - even with frequent showering,

- it strengthens the natural mechanisms that prevent skin dehydration and reverses its signs,

- it reduces the feeling of tightness, itching and burning as well as dullness of the skin,

- it soothes irritation and redness for up to 24 hours after use,

- it removes roughness and gives the skin a soft, smooth feel,

- it brings relief and comfort to flaky, dry skin,

- it improves skin firmness.

In vivo studies (that is, carried out on a living organism, in other words on the skin of test subjects, the voluntary participants of a study) conducted by the raw material manufacturer showed that a body lotion containing as little as 0.2% pentavitin raises the skin's hydration level by as much as 275% within 8 hours of the first application! In addition, such a lotion effectively protects the skin against dehydration, also after bathing, and reapplying it after every wash not only maintains but further increases the level of hydration (a sort of "accumulation" of moisture). Thanks to this the skin feels the positive effects of saccharide isomerate long after its first use. It should be added here that the 0.2% mentioned is the recommended minimum concentration - in cosmetics pentavitin can be used in concentrations of up to 5%!

It is also worth mentioning that using pentavitin:

- as an additional ingredient in hand sanitisers with a high alcohol content reduces the unwanted drying effects caused by their regular use,

- in body wash products reduces transepidermal water loss and increases the skin's hydration level for 24 hours after bathing, turning dry skin into normal skin within an hour of washing,

- in shampoos for the scalp effectively reduces flaking and the build-up of sebum from the very first use, also reducing the presence of the yeast Malassezia furfur living on the skin,

- and, by the way, in cleansing cosmetics it also increases the volume of the lather :)

Where does the effectiveness of pentavitin come from?

Saccharide isomerate is a biomimetic ingredient - its molecule, built mainly of glucose and fructose, imitates the structure of NMF, the Natural Moisturizing Factor synthesised by the cells of our skin. This means that, just like NMF, pentavitin binds perfectly to the keratin fibres our stratum corneum is made of. In this way it not only holds moisture in the epidermis effectively, but also becomes relatively resistant to being washed off. Thanks to this, pentavitin stays on the skin even after bathing and is removed only in the natural process of epidermal cell exfoliation.

Now that you know what pentavitin is and how it works in skincare products, it is time to answer the most important question...

Which Ministerstwo cosmetics contain pentavitin?

We included saccharide isomerate in the composition of three of our products whose main task is to give the skin strong hydration: the Honey lip balm-mask, the H2O hydromineral face cream and the moisturising Algae + Panthenol body lotion. It is, among other things, the presence of pentavitin that makes their regular use improve the condition of the skin. So if you are struggling with excessive dryness of the face, lips or any part of the body (which most often affects the hands, feet and calves :)), we encourage you to experience the goodness of pentavitin on your own skin!